Wire-stretcher.



J. E. PUTTER, JR. WIRE STRETGHER.

APPLICATION FILED 11017.11, 1910.

1,088,62L Patented 1111124, 1911 parra s JAMES E. POTTER, JR., 0F BEAMAN, MISSOURI.

WIRE-STRETCHER.

incassi.

Application filed November 11, 1910.

To @ZZ whom it may concern Be it known that l, JAMES E. POTTER, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at leaman, in the county of Pettis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful improvements in `Wirc Stretchers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to malte and use the same.

This invention relates to wire stretchers, and is particularly adapted for stretching fence wire of the woven type.

rilhe object of the invention resides in the provision of a wire stretcher which can be easily and quickly secured to a fence post in a detachable manner, and which when so secured may be easily operated to stretch the woven wire of the fence structure.

A further object of the invention resides in so constructing the wire stretcher that same may be reversed in its position on the post so as to effec-t the stretching of the desired wire irrespective of the disposition of the wire on one side of the post or the other.

1With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in the details of construction and in the arrangement and combination of parts, to be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

1n describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts; and in which,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a section of a fence showing t-he invention associated with a terminal post thereof and operatively connected to the wire stretcher; Fig. 2, a plan view of a fragment of what is shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, an end view of the invention detached from the post and looking at the end thereof disposed farthest from the post in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, 10` and 11 indicate the terminal posts of a fence section and 12 the intermediate post. Detachably connected to the terminal post 11 is a wire stretcher, which comprises corresponding side members 13 and 1li connected together in parallel spaced relation by cross rods 15. Connecting the side members 13 and 14 at the inner edge of the latter are spaced bars 16 and 17. The ends of these bars 16 and Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 24, 1914.

Serial No. 591,860.

1T are extended beyond the side member 111 and have mounted thereon respectively slidable sleeves 1S. Pivoted to each of the sleeves 13 are post enga-ging hooks 19, the free ends of each of which are provided with a spear 2O for insertion in a post. lV hen 'the wire stretcher is secured to a post, these hooks 19 are disposed in a substantially horizontal position. The sleeves 18 are held against disengagement from their respective bars 1G and 17 by means of cross pins 21, which extend transversely through one of the terminals of said bars respectively.

Journaled between the side members 13 and 14 is a shaft 22, the ends of which are extended so as to project beyond the outer faces of the side members 13 and 11i respectively. One of these projecting1 ends of the shaft 22 is squared, as at 23, so as to permit the operating lever 24 to be detachably associated therewith. Fixed on the shaft 22 adjacent the outer face of the side member 111 is a ratchet wheel 25, while another ratchet wheel 26 is fixed on the shaft 22 adjacent the outer face of the side member 13. Pivoted upon the outer face of the side member 111 for operative engagement with the ratchet wheel 25 is a pawl 27, while another pawl 28 is pivoted on the outer face of the side member 13 for engagement with the ratchet wheel 26; this last named pawl is positioned on the opposite side of the shaft 23 from the pawl 27, so that only one of the pawls 2T or 2S will be in operative engagement with its respective ratchet Wheel during the operation of the device.

1n the position in which the wire stretcher is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, the pawl 2S is shown out of engagement with its respective ratchet wheel, the pawl 27 in this instance serving to prevent backward rotation of the shaft 22. However, should the wire stretcher be reversed from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the pawl 27 will be moved by gravity out of engagement with the ratchet wheel 25, while the pawl 28 will enter into engagement with the ratchet wheel 26. Fixed upon the shaft 22 outwardly of the ratchet wheel 26 is a chain wheel 29, which has formed in its periphery a series of communicating recesses 30 for the reception of the links of a chain 31. Disengagement of the links of the chain 31 from the recesses 3() is prevented by means of a roller 32, which overlies the periphery of the wheel 29 and is supported by means of a bracket 33 attached to the outer face of the side member 13. Secured to one end of the chain 3l is a Wire clamping' member.

It Will be noted that by the use of the Wire stretcher constructed as herein shown and described that the stapling of the stretched Wire can be effected on the fence post to Which the stretcher is attached. This result is made possible b'y reason of the peculiar formation of the stretcher which results in the major portion ot' same to be disposed entirely free of the stapling face of the post.

What is claimed is The combination with a Wire stretcher including a frame having a rod extension at one side, and axially rotatable stretching mechanism carried by the frame with its axis of rotation parallel to said rod eXtension, of post engaging' means in which the 20 JAMES E. POTTER, JR.

Vitnesses:

JAS. J. SULLIVAN, C. P. KECK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patente, Washington, D. C. 

